US state guide
This guide is general information about the law in the District of Columbia, checked against the sources listed below on November 1, 2026. It is not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different: for advice on your situation, speak to a licensed attorney in the District of Columbia.
01Defamation law in the District of Columbia
Where the law comes from
D.C. defamation law comes from court decisions rather than a dedicated statute. The D.C. Court of Appeals requires a plaintiff to prove a false and defamatory statement about them, publication to a third party without privilege, fault amounting to at least negligence, and either a statement actionable as a matter of law without special harm or proof that it caused special harm.
Sources1Oparaugo v. Watts, 884 A.2d 63 (D.C. 2005) (FindLaw)2Digital Media Law Project: District of Columbia Defamation Law
Is defamation a crime?
The list of chapters in the D.C. criminal code (Title 22) shows the former chapter titled "Libel; Blackmail; Extortion; Threats" as repealed, and no current chapter covers libel, slander, or defamation. In practice, defamation in D.C. is handled through civil lawsuits.
Source3D.C. Code Title 22, Criminal Offenses and Penalties (chapter list)
Statute of limitations
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(4) gives one year to sue for libel or slander. The D.C. Court of Appeals has held that a libel claim generally accrues when the statement is published, and that the discovery rule does not apply when the statement was published by a mass media defendant.
Sources4D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(4)1Oparaugo v. Watts, 884 A.2d 63 (D.C. 2005) (FindLaw)
Defamation per se
D.C. lets some statements be sued over without proof of special harm when they are actionable as a matter of law. A written statement that falsely accuses someone of a crime is a recognized example, and harm is presumed for private-figure plaintiffs.
Sources1Oparaugo v. Watts, 884 A.2d 63 (D.C. 2005) (FindLaw)2Digital Media Law Project: District of Columbia Defamation Law
Anti-SLAPP protection
The D.C. Anti-SLAPP Act lets a defendant file a special motion to dismiss within 45 days of service when a claim arises from advocacy on issues of public interest. If the defendant makes that initial showing, the motion is granted unless the plaintiff shows the claim is likely to succeed, and the court may award costs and attorney's fees to a defendant who prevails. A denial can be appealed right away, but in September 2023 the D.C. Court of Appeals held the Act's automatic pause on discovery invalid.
Sources5D.C. Code § 16-55026D.C. Code § 16-55047RCFP Anti-SLAPP Legal Guide: District of Columbia
Defenses and public figures
Because falsity is an element of the claim, true or substantially true statements are not actionable, and D.C. courts also recognize opinion and fair comment defenses. Statements made before or during a judicial proceeding are absolutely privileged, while fair and accurate reports of official proceedings and good-faith statements on a shared interest are qualified privileges that can be lost. Public officials and public figures must prove actual malice: that the speaker knew the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for whether it was false.
Sources1Oparaugo v. Watts, 884 A.2d 63 (D.C. 2005) (FindLaw)2Digital Media Law Project: District of Columbia Defamation Law8New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964) (Cornell LII)
02Online harassment, cyberstalking and doxxing in the District of Columbia
Cyberstalking
D.C.'s stalking law covers a course of conduct on two or more occasions aimed at a specific person, where the offender intends, knows, or should know it would cause fear for safety, serious alarm, or emotional distress. The conduct can take place "by any means," which the code defines to include phone, mail, email, and websites. A first offense carries up to 12 months in jail, rising to up to 5 or 10 years in aggravated or repeat cases.
Sources9D.C. Code § 22-313310D.C. Code § 22-313211D.C. Code § 22-3134
Online harassment
Repeated online messages to or about a person can fall under the stalking law, which expressly counts communicating "to or about" someone by email or website as part of a course of conduct. Separately, threatening to kidnap or injure a person, or to damage their property, is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Doxxing
D.C. has no separate doxxing offense in the sections reviewed, but its stalking law reaches some doxxing-type conduct: using another person's personal identifying information on two or more occasions can be part of a stalking course of conduct. That term is defined broadly and includes names, addresses, phone numbers, employment information, and similar data.
Sources10D.C. Code § 22-3132(6), (8)(C)13D.C. Code § 22-3227.01(3)
Intimate images shared without consent
D.C. law makes it a crime to knowingly disclose or publish sexual images of an identified or identifiable person without consent, with intent to harm them or for financial gain. Unlawful publication (§ 22-3053) is a felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison; unlawful disclosure (§ 22-3052) and republishing images known to come from an earlier harmful or for-profit disclosure (§ 22-3054) are misdemeanors punishable by up to 180 days.
Sources14D.C. Code § 22-305215D.C. Code § 22-305316D.C. Code § 22-3054
03How to remove defamatory content in the District of Columbia
How to remove defamatory content in the District of Columbia
A lawsuit is one route, but it is slow, costly and public. Much harmful content can come down sooner through the platform’s own reporting process, a legal notice to the site owner or host, or a removal request to search engines. The right route depends on where the content lives and on the law that applies to it.
Media Removal reviews each case and recommends the fastest route that fits it. Removal always depends on each platform and, where relevant, the courts.
04Frequently asked questions about defamation in the District of Columbia
How long do you have to sue for defamation in Washington, D.C.?
Generally one year. D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(4) sets a one-year deadline for both libel and slander, and the clock usually starts on the date the statement was published.
Is defamation a crime in Washington, D.C.?
No. D.C.'s former criminal libel chapter is listed as repealed, so defamation is pursued through a civil lawsuit rather than a prosecution.
Does D.C. have an anti-SLAPP law?
Yes. The D.C. Anti-SLAPP Act lets a defendant sued over advocacy on issues of public interest file a special motion to dismiss early in the case. If the defendant makes that initial showing, the claim is dismissed unless the plaintiff shows it is likely to succeed, and the court may award attorney's fees to a winning defendant.
What do you have to prove to win a defamation case in D.C.?
Generally, you must show a false and defamatory statement about you, shared with a third party without privilege, at least negligence by the speaker, and either special harm or a statement actionable without proof of harm. Public officials and public figures must also prove actual malice.
Is posting someone's intimate images without consent illegal in D.C.?
Yes. D.C. Code §§ 22-3052 to 22-3054 make it a crime to disclose or publish sexual images of an identifiable person without consent in the situations those sections describe, such as acting to harm the person or for financial gain. The most serious form, unlawful publication, is a felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison.
05Defamation laws in nearby states
06Sources
- Oparaugo v. Watts, 884 A.2d 63 (D.C. 2005) (FindLaw)
- Digital Media Law Project: District of Columbia Defamation Law
- D.C. Code Title 22, Criminal Offenses and Penalties (chapter list)
- D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(4)
- D.C. Code § 16-5502
- D.C. Code § 16-5504
- RCFP Anti-SLAPP Legal Guide: District of Columbia
- New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964) (Cornell LII)
- D.C. Code § 22-3133
- D.C. Code § 22-3132
- D.C. Code § 22-3134
- D.C. Code § 22-1810
- D.C. Code § 22-3227.01(3)
- D.C. Code § 22-3052
- D.C. Code § 22-3053
- D.C. Code § 22-3054